Signal and marker device for automotive vehicles



Aug. 17, 1954 TAYLOR 2 ,686,492

SIGNAL AND MARKER DEVICE FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Filed April 3, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. A DA E TAYLOR Aug. 17, 1954 A. B. TAYLOR 2,685,492,

SIGNAL AND MARKER DEVICE FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Filed April 3, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 I'TORIYEYA Patented Aug. 17, 1954 UNITED STATE arse OFFICE SIGNAL AND MARKER DEVICE FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Claims priority, application Canada August 20, 1952 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for an automotive vehicle which is for use to mark or indicate the presence of the vehicle when standing still in the darkness.

Whenever an automotive vehicle is brought to a standstill upon a road after darkness has set in for appropriate repair or attention, such vehicle constitutes a grave hazard, particularly if its signal and lighting system has become inoperative. In such situations it is customary to employ flares. However, flares have the disadvantages in that they are inconvenient to store and olier a distinct fire hazard.

An object of the present invention is to provide a signal and marker device which eliminates the fire hazard of flares and which is readily placed in operation to serve as both a signal and marker for indicating the location of a stalled vehicle upon a road after darkness.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a signal and marker device which is simple in structure, easy to install, and highly efiicient in action.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary front view of an automotive vehicle equipped with the signal and marker device of the present invention, the device being in the position for use to indicate direction signals when the vehicle is in motion.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front view of the assembly of Figure l, but showing the device in the position for use to mark the presence of the vehicle when standing still in darkness.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the device of the present invention in the position of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line i-l of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the device of the present invention in the position of Figure 2.

Figure '7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-4 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l0 indicates the signal and marker device of the present invention, such device comprising a first standard l l which has a lower end adapted to be attached to a support. As shown, the lower end is rotatably supported upon an upstanding pin 9 carried by a base 12, the base being attached to the fender !3 of an automobile M by means of bolts it. A closed housing it having opposed side walls I1 and I8 and end walls [9 and 2% is horizontally disposed with respect to the standard i l and has the end wall I t connected to the upper end of the standard for movement from the horizontal position to a vertical position and for rotational movement about the standard H as an axis. Specifically, theend wall [9 has an arm 2! projecting therefrom, the arm having the free end pivotally connected to the upper end of the standard for swinging movement about a horizontal axis or bolt 8, the end of the bolt being threaded and being in threaded engagement with a wing nut 1. It is to be noted that the wing nut l releasably holds the housing It in either its horizontal or vertical position. The housing it is retained in a select position of its rotational movement by means of a, set screw 22 extending transversely through the standard I I adjacent its upper end and having the inner end engaging a peripheral groove 23 formed in the pin i A pair of plates 25 and 26 are arranged exteriorly of and in horizontal face to face positions with respect to the opposed side walls ll and 83 respectively, and have the one en adjacent the standard ll connected to the end wall 19 of the housing 16 for movement from the horizontal positions with respect to the side walls ii and It to positions at an angle with respect to said side walls l! and R8. The exterior face of each of the plates 25 and 2c is provided with an attention attracting indication 2?, in this instance, an arrow. As shown, the plates 25 and 25 are each spring biased, the plate 25 carrying an arcuate leaf spring 28 on its inner face and bearing against the side wall I! and the plate 25 also carrying an arcuate leaf spring 29 on its inner face and bearing against the side wall it. Interposed between the plates 25 and 26 and fixed to the adjacent side walls of the housing it are plates 30 and 3!. The plate 30 is provided with a grille 32 which covers the translucent direction indicator 33 on the adjacent side wall of the hous ing. Specifically, the plates 25 and 26 have the ends adjacent the standard 5 l hingedly connected to the plates 3!! and 3!. Since this connection for each of the plates 25 and 25 is the same, that of only one will be specifically described. The plate 2-5 has the end adjacent the standard ll hingedly connected to the plates 30 and 3| by means of a pin 34 supported in the latter plates and extending through a hinge barrel 35 carried by the plate 25. The angular position of the plate 25 relative to the side wall I! may be adjusted by means of the set screw 36.

A second standard 38 is positioned adjacent the other of the end walls or the end wall 20 and has a lower end adapted to be attached to a support. As shown, the lower end of the standard 38 is fixed to a base 39, the base 39 being likewise attached to the fender |3 of the automobile M by means of bolts 40. On the upper end of the second standard 38 is a means which embracingly engages the other ends of the plates 25 and 2S. Specifically, such means is releasable and embodies a shelf 4| fixed on the upper end of the standard 38 and a shelf 42 arrangedin superimposed spaced relation with respect to the shelf 4| and connected to the second standard 38 for pivotal movement about an axis or pin 43 carried by the latter standard. The pin 43 has a sleeve 44 thereon which is movable into and out of engagement with the leg 45 carried by the shelf 42 by means of the wing nut 46 to releasably hold the shelf 42 in superimposed spaced relation with respect to the shelf 4|. When the housing I6 is in the horizontal position the under face adjacent the other end of the plate 26 is engaged by the shelf 4| and the upper face adjacent the other end of the plate 25 is engaged by the shelf 42.

In use, with the vehicle in motion and the device of the present invention in the position of Figure l, the signal system of the vehicle is actuated by the operator whenever a turn is desired, resulting in the illumination of the corresponding portion of the translucent indicator 33. When the vehicle is stopped along the road after darkness, with its signal and lighting system out of order, the operator turns the wing nut 46 in the proper direction to cause the sleeve 44 to be moved out of engagement with the leg t5, and then swings the shelf 42 out of engagement with the plate 25. Next, the operator releases the wing nut I, swings the housing [6 to its vertical position, then rotates the housing l6 until the plates 25 and 26 face the front and back. of the roadres pectively, and finally operates the set screw 22 to hold the housing |6 in its selected position of rotational movement. When in the latter position, the headlights of approaching vehicles from opposite directions will play upon the adjacent attention attraction arrow, thereby warning the operators of the location of the disabled vehicle.

What I claim:

1. In a signal and marker device for an automotive vehicle, a first standard having its lower end adapted to be attached to a support, a closed housing including opposed side walls and two end walls horizontally disposed with respect to said standard and having one of the end walls connected to the upper end of said standard for movement from the horizontal position to a ver tioal position and for rotational movement about "said standard as an axis, a pair of plates arranged exteriorly of and in horizontal face to face positions with respect to the opposed side walls of said housing and having the one ends adjacent said standard connected to said one end wall of said housing for movement from the horizontal positions with respect to said side walls to positions at an angle with respect to said side walls, the

exterior face of each of said plates being provided with an attention attracting indication, a second standard positioned adjacent the other of the end walls of said housing and having the lower end adapted to be attached to a support, and means on the upper end of said second standard and embracingly engaging the other ends of said plates.

2. In a signal and marker device for automotive vehicles, a first standard having its lower end adapted to be attached to a support, a closed housing including opposed side walls and two end walls horizontally disposed with respect to said standard and having one of the end walls connected to the upper end of said standard for movementfrom the horizontal position to a vertical position and for rotational movement about said standard as an axis, a pair of spring biased plates arranged exteriorly of and in horizontal face to face positions with respect to the opposed side walls of said housing and having the one ends adjacent said standard connected to said one end wall of said housing for movement from the horizontal positions with respect to said side walls to positions at an angle with respect to said side walls, the exterior face of each of said plates being provided with an attention attracting indication, a second standard positioned adjacent the other of the end walls of said housing and having the lower end adapted to be attached to a support, and releasable means on the upper end of said second standard and embracingly engaging the other ends or said plates.

3. In a signal and marker device for an automotive vehicle, a first standard having its lower end adapted to be attached to a support, a closed housing including opposed side walls and two end walls horizontally disposed with respect to said standard and having one of the end walls connected to the upper end of said standard for movement from the horizontal position to a vertical position and for rotational movement about said standard as an axis, a pair of spring biased plates arranged exteriorly of and in horizontal face to face positions with respect to the opposed side walls of said housing and having he one ends adjacent said standard connected to said one end wall of said housing for movement from the horizontal positions with respect to said side walls to positions at an angle with respect to said side walls, the exterior face of each of said plates being provided with an attention attracting indication, a second standard positioned adjacent the other of the end walls of said housing and having the lower end adapted to be attached to a sup port, releasable means on the upper end of said second standard and embracingly engaging the other ends of said plates, and releasable means on said first standard for holding said housing in a select position of its rotational movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

